SEN-03-18 A Resolution to Support DACA Recipients

Leigh Belmont, College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences (lbelmont@vols.utk.edu)

Maya Bian, Tickle College of Engineering (mbian@vols.utk.edu)

Alayna Cameron, Senate Sergeant-at-Arms (acamer11@vols.utk.edu)

Mateos Hayes, College of Arts and Sciences (mhayes57@vols.utk.edu)

Maggie Marsh, Senate Lobbyist (tjt618@vols.utk.edu)

Lily Nevers, Off Campus (lnevers@vols.utk.edu)

Lauren Patterson, College of Business (lpatte15@vols.utk.edu)

DATE:

10 October 2017

Whereas, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was an executive order instituted by former President Obama in 2012 that allowed certain undocumented minors to apply for and receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation as well as a work permit, but did not provide a path to citizenship [1], and

Whereas, DACA currently protects approximately 8,300 undocumented Tennessee residents from deportation, and thus its rescindment would create significant economic and familial instability across the state [2], and

Whereas, it has been estimated that the rescindment of DACA could incur an aggregate economic cost of over $924.5 million for Tennessee, and a cost of $258 million to the Tennessee state government [3], and

Whereas, concern regarding the above-referenced issue has been demonstrated by the student body, most prominently in the form of a student protest on 8 September 2017 [4], in addition to another demonstration on 28 September, 2017 [5], and

Whereas, “Advancing Diversity and Inclusion” is a Volunteer Value key to the University of Tennessee’s Journey to the Top 25 [6], and undocumented students contribute diverse perspectives, experiences, and talents to many other universities and colleges across the state, and

Whereas, the Student Government Association of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville has an obligation to advocate both for student concerns and the university’s values, and

Whereas, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville serves as the flagship campus of the UT system and thus must set a precedent for Tennessee colleges and universities, and

Whereas, currently no statement regarding DACA has been made by the Student Government Association of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville since the program’s announced termination on 5 September 2017, and

Whereas, currently no statement has been made by the University of Tennessee Chancellor Beverly Davenport since the DACA program termination, and

Whereas, the Student Government Associations of multiple other Tennessee universities and colleges, as well as other Southeastern Conference (SEC) universities have issued statements regarding DACA recipients and have proposed legislation or policies related to the matter [7, 8, 9, 10],

Be it hereby resolved that the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Undergraduate Student Senate formally supports college and university recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, and

Be it hereby resolved that the Student Senate calls for both Chancellor Davenport and the Student Government Association’s executive branch to release statements supporting Tennessee DACA students in affirmation of our commitment to diversity.